New Year drunk driving up 23% | Bangkok Post: breakingnews

New Year drunk driving up 23%

Published: 7 Jan 2013 at 19.39
Online news:

The number of drunk driving cases recorded throughout the country over the "seven dangerous days" of the New Year period is up 23% on the corresponding period of the previous year and most of them are first-time offenders, according to the Department of Probation.

Between Dec 28 and Jan 2, a total of 4,635 motorists had been arrested and convicted in court for driving under the influence of alcohol, up 23% from the previous year, which saw 3,768 reported cases, Ruenvadee Suwanmongkol, the department’s director-general, revealed on Monday.

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steveyinasia
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Discussion 8 : 08 Jan 2013 at 07.518
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They don't really need the breath test device to work, the criteria to determine who is drunk and who is not is fully determined by the contents of ones wallet.
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Victor
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Discussion 7 : 08 Jan 2013 at 07.367
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All the safety campaigns initiated (actually copied) by the governmant failed, so there must be something not right. Time to cook up something new, especially for the up-coming Song Kran holidays in April.
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djjp
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Discussion 6 : 08 Jan 2013 at 06.506
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Education plays a big role as well. When I was young they had graphic adverts on TV showing people flying out from windscreens, drunk drivers hitting pedestrians...Pretty scary stuff. In school we were taught about the dangers of drink driving. When I got my license my parents reinforced the message countless times. Nothing in Thailand that I can see. One example of a lack of education is baby seats or the lack thereof. I think I am the only person in Khon Kaen that them and when we strap the kids in we get some funny looks. Some Thai's even had the audacity to tell my wife off because our son was crying loudly when we starpped him in.
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faranginkorat
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Discussion 5 : 08 Jan 2013 at 06.415
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I know lots of people who have been caught drunk driving in Korat, one at least a half-dozen times, but none have ever gone to court. They pay 2,000 - 6,000 THB cash and it is finished.
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ricoaj22
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Discussion 4 : 07 Jan 2013 at 22.514
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These figures seem good, but are there any figures to compare against for drink driving arrests at other times of year?
Traffic is a big issue here. Safety first is the way to go. When will they start getting tough on seat belts, helmets and sitting on the side of motorbikes. Seems survival rates for crashes are shockingly low and the lack of meaningful enforcement makes dangerous / stupid motorists even more likely to kill themselves and others
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DonAleman
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Discussion 3 : 07 Jan 2013 at 22.093
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As the police have already admitted that some 52 % of their breathalizers don't work,
how do they, and the courts know who were really drunk ?
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ttoronto
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Discussion 2 : 07 Jan 2013 at 21.532
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365 lives lost in 7 days, 8% increase over the previous year and alcohol was the factor in most cases. It boggles the mind.
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golf
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Discussion 1 : 07 Jan 2013 at 21.351
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... which means a complete fail of the governments work.
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